Virginia school shooting suspect named as 18-year-old student who 'announced his plans online moments before he opened fire'

The suspected gunman, who opened fire and shot two women at a Virginia college today, has been named as 18-year-old student Neil Allan Macinnis.

Police confirmed the identity of Macinnis this evening after a bizarre online chat-room post, made in his name minutes before the shooting, warned of his intentions to carry out a mass attack.

He asked readers to, 'wish him luck'.

The gun attack at New River Community College, which is housed in a mall in Christiansburg, was carried out at 1.55pm.

Suspect:
Neil Macinnis has been identified by police as the student suspected of
shooting two women at New River Community College today

Held: Neil Macinnis is being held in Montgomery County jail

Arrest: Police arrest a suspect outside the southwest Virginia mall after two women were shot this afternoon

Praying: Witnesses comforted each other outside the mall after the women were shot by the lone gunman

Gun attack: A man with a gun is said to have walked into the lobby of the New River Community College campus in the shopping mall and fired three times, injuring two women

Shock: A police officer stands guard next to distraught students on a curb outside the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg, Virginia

Response: Around three minutes after a bizarre online posting, police were called to the mall on reports of gunfire. The alleged shooter was taken into custody as soon as authorities arrived

Three minutes before a statement was posted on the online messaging board 4chan.

It said: 'Hey, it's time. My name is
Neil Macinnis and I go to New River Community College in Christiansburg,
Virginia, ten minutes away from Virginia tech. I'm gonna give y'all the
details because the news never gets it right.

'Stevens 320 shotgun. Buck shots and slugs.'

'I'm a bit nervous because I've never really handled a shotgun but a few
times with the Christiansburg police.'

'Anyways this is not a highscores
game but actually a lesson (that's why I'm at school)...Wish me luck. An heroing [sic] is not necessary unless I
get f***ed out the ass. It's pretty busy.'

The term 'heroing' is believed to refer to committing suicide.

The 4chan message also provides a link to a websitein Macinnis' name. It reveals he is a student at New River Community College which he says he 'loves'.

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The attack comes just four days before the 6th anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre in which student Seung Hui Chokilled 32 people and wounded many others at the school's Blacksburg campus, before killing himself.

Macinnis' resume reveals he worked at Virginia Tech's office
of Undergraduate Admissions in the summer of 2012 helping with IT.

Police
were called to the mall on reports of gunfire on Friday afternoon.

They revealed the suspect was overpowered by an off-duty security guard, who held him until officers arrived.

They allege Macinnis drove to the mall campus armed with a firearm, entered the school and opened fire.

They claim one of his victims was a part-time member of staff at the school, while the other victim's relationship to the college is unknown.

They say they are still trying to establish if the suspect had any relationship with his victims and a possible motive for the crime.

Macinnis completed the Christiansburg Citizen Police
Academy in 2012, according to Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sisson, which is where he is believed to have used a firearm for the first time.

The two injured women were taken to hospital and are said to be in stable condition.

One
of the victims was taken to LewisGale Hospital at Montgomery, and the
other was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

In the 'About Me' section of his website, MacInnis writes: 'My name is Neil MacInnis and I live in Christiansburg, Virginia. I live a few minutes from the mall which makes it easier to get to class or work if the weather is bad.'

'I like to go for long walks and explore new things. I have a beautiful brown tabby, named "Mowww", that means the world to me. I've raised her since she was 4 weeks old and she is now a year and a half years old. '

'When I'm on the web I like to surf
around looking at funny pictures and videos as well as learning new
tricks to make webpages and graphics.'

He
worked at the Old Navy Store in the mall and describes himself as
hard-working and a former member of Christiansburg High School's
tennis and drama clubs.

On his Facebook page, he appears to be a normal 18-year-old, posting for
pictures with his cat and exchanging jokey messages with friends.

Dozens of fellow students and friends expressed their shock at his arrest today.

One student wrote on Twitter: 'Wow I don't know what to say. I would
never thought that he would be the one to do something like this.'

A witness told The Roanoke Timesthat a gunman walked into the lobby of the mall and pointed it at a woman.

Students in a classroom heard a loud bang before they realized it was gunshots. A teacher told them to run.

Charged: Macinnis was charged by Christiansburg police today

Evacuation: The mall was evacuated and the college campus placed on lock down yet police believe there was only one gunman

Disbelief: Clara Keller, of Blacksburg, Virginia, holds her head as she sits on the sidewalk outside the New River Valley Mall. The shooting came four days before the 6th anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre

Lock down: The mall was evacuated and placed on lock down after the shooter walked into the college campus and fired three times

Airlifted: A medical helicopter approaches the parking lot outside the New River Valley Mall so that one of the injured women could be airlifted to hospital

School shooting: Students in a classroom in New River Community College, which is part of the mall, heard a loud bang before they realized it was gunshots. A teacher told them to run

'I heard one gunshot, and I didn’t know what it was,' student Josh Brown told the paper. 'I saw people running out.

'I’ll be scared to come back to school,' he added, starting to cry. 'What’s wrong with people? Who would do something like this?'

Friday isn't usually a busy day at the school's mall campus, Ben Kramer, an activities counselor for the community college, told the newspaper.

Enrollment is roughly 1,500, and about a third of those students likely were on campus, he said.

Macinnis is being held in Montgomery County Jail.

He has been charged with two counts of malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Police said they would not be releasing details of the type of gun recovered at the scene as investigations are ongoing.

They confirmed Macinnis had taken part in the local police academy 12 week course for residents.

The force's website says it provides 'an overview of what happens on a typical day at the Police Department'.